Alls I know is something has changed with our run defense this year; not sure if its the training with the QB option or capers scheming or just better guys up front. You could see it in the preseason games and now in the regular season. San fran, washington (most running yards last year) ...

Im curious how the neal OLB experiment is going to go ... and then how D jones is doing ... the only tv time I see of him is him getting hurt. I hope we can work in our other ILBs that we kept this season ... because Ive never been impressed with ours - except bishop (whom was outstanding). Good thing about hawk I will say he is almost enver hurt ... but always hate to see him cover - its a crap shoot.

Clay Matthews -- Pretty self-explanatoryB.J. Raji -- A bit underappreciated. Draft status inflated expectations. People wanted Warren Sapp 2.0. Instead, they got a solid player capable of flashing high-level play.Ryan Pickett -- Never much of a pass rusher, but arguably the best run defender on the d-line. Age hasn’t slowed him down, yet. Johnny Jolly -- Based on the first two games, yes, Jolly’s No. 4. He's been outstanding versus the run and the d-line has an attitude because of him. With the exception of Matthews, he’s the most physical player on this list. A.J. Hawk -- The Raji of LBs. His draft status inflated people's expectations. He's a year-to-year anomaly. Brad Jones -- Has played very well since becoming Green Bay's starting ILB. He's decent in coverage and is seldom out of position. He’s not far behind Hawk. Mike Daniels -- Played well last week. I think he'll be a vital part of the rotation for a coupe more years. A better pass rusher than run defender.Nick Perry -- We still need to see more rush out of him, but he sets the edge very, very well. He’s a significant upgrade over Erik Walden. Mike Neal -- I still need to see more of him as an OLB. He made the pick last week, but that was poor play by Washington's wide receiver. I like him as a rusher, though. He could ascend on this list in a couple of weeks. C.J. Wilson -- The opposite of Daniels. He’s isn’t much of a rusher, but a competent run defender.Datone Jones -- Has done nothing in two games. Injuries might be bothering him, but at the moment, two steps behind Daniels and a baby step behind Wilson.

It’s hard to get a read on some of the younger players after just two weeks, so it'll be interesting how some of those players develop over the course of 2013.

Clay Matthews -- Pretty self-explanatoryB.J. Raji -- A bit underappreciated. Draft status inflated expectations. People wanted Warren Sapp 2.0. Instead, they got a solid player capable of flashing high-level play.Ryan Pickett -- Never much of a pass rusher, but arguably the best run defender on the d-line. Age hasn’t slowed him down, yet. Johnny Jolly -- Based on the first two games, yes, Jolly’s No. 4. He's been outstanding versus the run and the d-line has an attitude because of him. With the exception of Matthews, he’s the most physical player on this list. A.J. Hawk -- The Raji of LBs. His draft status inflated people's expectations. He's a year-to-year anomaly. Brad Jones -- Has played very well since becoming Green Bay's starting ILB. He's decent in coverage and is seldom out of position. He’s not far behind Hawk. Mike Daniels -- Played well last week. I think he'll be a vital part of the rotation for a coupe more years. A better pass rusher than run defender.Nick Perry -- We still need to see more rush out of him, but he sets the edge very, very well. He’s a significant upgrade over Erik Walden. Mike Neal -- I still need to see more of him as an OLB. He made the pick last week, but that was poor play by Washington's wide receiver. I like him as a rusher, though. He could ascend on this list in a couple of weeks. C.J. Wilson -- The opposite of Daniels. He’s isn’t much of a rusher, but a competent run defender.Datone Jones -- Has done nothing in two games. Injuries might be bothering him, but at the moment, two steps behind Daniels and a baby step behind Wilson.

It’s hard to get a read on some of the younger players after just two weeks, so it'll be interesting how some of those players develop over the course of 2013.

The just darn good: Matthews. Duh.Pickett. Consistently underrated. IMO second most important player on defense period.

Solid with upside:Jolly. There's just something special there.Raji. Count me among the unappreciators that porky noted. IMO just as Pickett is consistently underrated, Raji is consistently overrated. I will say that he has looked better than I expected in games 1-2 this year. He can dominate, but return of inconsistency is a worry.

Solid:Daniels and Neal (tie). Like Raji, more than I expected in games 1-2. I like Daniels more, but I couldn't say why at this point. Toss-up. The level you want "depth/rotation" players at.Hawk. I wish he weren't the starter, but, again, he's solid enough for depth/rotation. Shares part of responsibility for team's softness over the middle in passing game.

I think there's a gap between the above and the rest. Not saying below are "bad", but either they haven't developed enough or I wish there were better alternatives.

Incomplete:Perry: Haven't seen enough to know yet. Here for me because of his draft position more than anything. Understand why people might be excited about him, but potential alone doesn't do much for me.D Jones: See Perry.

Need better:Wilson: Better against run than pass. Inactive list/emergency quality to me. 2nd-tier backup guy.B. Jones: People liking Raji I understand; don't agree, but I understand. I just don't see what others see. But I didn't get the big contract when it was given, and I don't get it now. I think he's a liability in coverage, and part of the reason I have trouble being optimistic about the Packers getting better in pass defense over the middle. Everyone blames safety play, and clearly that's subpar, too, but I think LBs are a key part of the failure. Frankly, I think our best ILB pass defender right now is Francois, and that is telling. Another 2nd-tier backup guy.

The just darn good: Matthews. Duh.Pickett. Consistently underrated. IMO second most important player on defense period.

Solid with upside:Jolly. There's just something special there.Raji. Count me among the unappreciators that porky noted. IMO just as Pickett is consistently underrated, Raji is consistently overrated. I will say that he has looked better than I expected in games 1-2 this year. He can dominate, but return of inconsistency is a worry.

Solid:Daniels and Neal (tie). Like Raji, more than I expected in games 1-2. I like Daniels more, but I couldn't say why at this point. Toss-up. The level you want "depth/rotation" players at.Hawk. I wish he weren't the starter, but, again, he's solid enough for depth/rotation. Shares part of responsibility for team's softness over the middle in passing game.

I think there's a gap between the above and the rest. Not saying below are "bad", but either they haven't developed enough or I wish there were better alternatives.

Incomplete:Perry: Haven't seen enough to know yet. Here for me because of his draft position more than anything. Understand why people might be excited about him, but potential alone doesn't do much for me.D Jones: See Perry.

Need better:Wilson: Better against run than pass. Inactive list/emergency quality to me. 2nd-tier backup guy.B. Jones: People liking Raji I understand; don't agree, but I understand. I just don't see what others see. But I didn't get the big contract when it was given, and I don't get it now. I think he's a liability in coverage, and part of the reason I have trouble being optimistic about the Packers getting better in pass defense over the middle. Everyone blames safety play, and clearly that's subpar, too, but I think LBs are a key part of the failure. Frankly, I think our best ILB pass defender right now is Francois, and that is telling. Another 2nd-tier backup guy.

Yeah, count me among the under-appreciators of Raji also. Every time I see him, he is getting pushed all over the field instead of holding the point.

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